The Federation is pleased to announce its annual statewide conference “Visions of Community, a Conference for Parents of Children with Special Needs and the Professionals Who Serve Them” will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2015 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. Registration opens January 5, 2015. For more information visit the conference website: fcsn.org/voc2015
Early Bird Registration is $75 until February 6th. There are more than 45 workshop presentations spanning 3 sessions. Primary language strands in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Somali. Lots more available on the conference website including information on partial scholarships, free bus transportation, interpreting, childcare, sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor registration at: https://fcsn.org/voc2015/
Online registration: https://fcsn.org/voc2015/registration-form/
PDF registration brochure can be downloaded here: http://fcsn.org/voc2015/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2015/01/VOC15-Reg-Form.pdf
A Spanish and Portuguese version of the registration form will be available very soon.
Community Partnership Awards:
We are still in need of nominations for this year’s 2015 Community Partnership Awards. Deadline for nominations has been extended until January 19th. Please consider making a nomination or encourage others to do so.
Do you know a parent, student, teacher, administrator, health provider, coach, neighbor or other individual who has worked to create and support the inclusion of individuals with disabilities, those at-risk, or those who face cultural or linguistic barriers, in your school, health care or other place in the community? The Federation for Children with Special Needs presents Community Partnership Awards to individuals in Massachusetts who have successfully promoted an inclusive environment in their community. Nominate a person who has made a difference for a Community Partnership Award!.
Nominations can be made online at: https://fcsn.org/voc2015/community-partnership-awards/
Keynote Presentation:
We’ve Only Just Begun: How far we’ve come in special education and how much further we need to go
Using music, anecdotes, and data, two not so retiring former public school principals, well-known for their innovative approaches to creating whole school inclusive communities, will share their experiences and perspectives for improving opportunities and outcomes for students with disabilities. They will take a look back to the early days of Special Education laws and how those laws played out to current practical strategies for teaching and including students with disabilities both in school and in the community setting. The presenters, Bill Henderson and Joe Petner, with a combined 90 years of experience as educators, will inspire parents and professionals with their shared vision of community.
